Install delivery package early as possible (systemstart)

Linne,

In your software delivery agent go to the general tab, select your package, and tell it to run on a schedule. If you want this task to be forced at a standard time, use the scheduler to configure a task that will run in the background. You can also select the "wake on LAN" option to install on any machines that were shutdown.

The difference between running as soon as possible and when the computer starts up is huge. The "as soon as possible" option sends the package out and allows the process to be run once. If the process is cancelled by the user or fails for some reason, the server will not try again because the process is only set to run once. Success or failure is not a prerequisite.

"When computer starts" s probably being given fits by turning off the notification server at startup. If you need the registry to be fairly noiseless for the installation, you will need to temporarily enable the agent at startup, and then schedule the package to be delivered for a certain time.

So my answer is to try setting a time frame, like 2:00 am and then waking up everyone's machines for the installation. This is usually the most reliable method and the easiest to manage.

Yeah, I see. The option "At system Startup" is not "Run Once" and that's what I need for installing software.

But the "Disable Altiris Agent/Notification Server communication... At startup and after blockout for up to: 10 Minutes" is no problem. I only have to take care, that the package is downloaded the day before. The install of this software is locally and will begin directly after the system start (independent from the blockout). I testet this, so it's what I want :-)

Another questions for the blockout:
Is this blockout necessary? Will there be problems if I deactivate the blockout or set it to 5 minutes?

Cheers
Linne

We used to have this set and it caused too many problems with delivering packages and wanting them to install immediately. As long as the package is there the day before that's fine but how can you really verify that, then you run the risk of the package installed when they are opening apps unless you choose 'only run at scheduled time'. Also you have to make sure your package program doesn't state 'run when user is logged on' and instead is 'whether or not user is logged on' because this will enable the package to run if you are doing Wake on Lan or while the machine is at the logon screen.

Having a blockout is only really necessary if you have a lot of processes running at startup, if you don't, then there is no need.

Emily Duncan
Sidley Austin LLP
Software Deployment Developer